In Dreams
by Lord Onisyr
Summary: In three different storylines, Drizzt sees a series of possibilities while in Reverie. Combines The Lesser Evil, Midsummer, and Siren's Cry.
1. Part 1

**In Dreams**

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of R.A. Salvatore/Wizards of the Coast ©. I don't own them; I'm just examining all their possibilities.

Author's Note: The following story is a combination of events and themes from my stories "The Lesser Evil," "Midsummer," and "Siren's Cry." Each scene will be resolved in a rather interesting way, so stay tuned.

Rated M for graphic violence, strong language, adult themes, and disturbing images.

**Part 1**

Not again.

It was the only thought that screamed through Drizzt's mind as the gnarled tree bark pressed into his back as his legs stretched out on the grass.

The press of ancient bark and the prickle of grass were soothing, loving massages compared to the fire that burned in his lower abdomen.

He put his head back and let out a long, angry groan as the pain became more intense. Drizzt's lavender eyes opened to get a view of the clear, starlit sky over the canopy of trees though all he smelled was burning; burning wood, burning oil, burning flesh.

His arms braced his abdomen against the pain, though he felt a familiar, sticky wetness. He looked down and gasped; seeing the front of his white tunic soaked in blood and torn. He braced himself harder, feeling a piercing ache as a slick, soft piece of tissue under his hand made him gag.

Drizzt didn't want to look down; knowing and fearing what he would see. His tiny, almost innocent sense of curiosity got the better of him as he slowly pulled his arms away and look down to see a pink tube of flesh peaking out from a gaping hole where the skin of his abdominal cavity used to be.

He wanted to scream, but his lungs would not give him the air and his throat closed it off. All he could do was sit and gasp, the pain backing off as his body became colder.

Drizzt slowly looked up from the mass of tissue and blood his body had become, looking out at the expanse of forest where he remembered tents had once stood and elves danced in Midsummer revelry. Now it was gray mist over a thick forest, no one present save himself and one figure standing a few feet away.

His vision was hazy, though he focused and saw a drow standing still and staring at him; a male drow with short, white hair wearing only a pair of black leather trousers and a mask on his chalk gray face. He looked around the scene with an expression of horrified awe, a bloody shortsword in one hand as only a stump was left of his other hand.

"_Vel'uss ph'dos_," Drizzt managed to gasp to the other drow. "Who are you?"

The drow gave him a tired, pained expression; his gaze settling on the grass in front of him.

Drizzt looked down to the long grass, seeing a mass of green flesh covered in blood; head a massive bulb with bulging yellow eyes. Its clawlike hands were raking in front of it as its jaw opened and closed. The creature let out a muffled cry Drizzt swore was the wail of an infant. The creature was horrifying to behold, yet he wanted to rush over and scoop it in his arms; protect it.

The creature's shrieks were drowned out by the thundering of running feet coming up the hill. He pried his eyes from the horrible sight, looking up to see a mass of humans in simple clothing running up the hill and shouting. Jarlaxle slid up from the hill and ducked away from the mob.

Drizzt wanted to cry out to Jarlaxle, seek any explanation for what was happening, though the sight of Artemis Entreri creeping beside him made his skin crawl. Jarlaxle stood in front of him, ignoring the other drow and giving a helpless look around the area. Entreri also froze, looking first at the carnage around him before his black eyes settled on Drizzt.

Drizzt wanted to locate his scimitars, though he only had strength to look up at the assassin. Entreri's gaze was cold at first, though he saw a hint of sadness; an emotion of which he could never imaging Entreri possessing, though here he was now. Drizzt swore he saw a small tear slide from one eye, though the cries of the human mob in front of him stole his attention.

"It's the damn drow!" a familiar voice called from the crowd, as Kemp of Targos, the councilor from Icewind Dale who had always played the antagonist to him and his companions, rushed to the forefront.

Targos rushed forward, stopping in front of Drizzt as Jarlaxle and Entreri slid away and the third drow remained standing in his position.

"You have wrought this madness on us, dark elf," Targos shouted, pointing at Drizzt.

"He is gravely injured, can you not see that?" another voice called.

Drizzt looked up, his eyes meeting the soothing, gold-green orbs of Nialian Springleaf, a cleric of Corellon Larethian and a close friend, who leaned down beside Drizzt and examined his wound.

"He killed Bruenor Battlehammer's daughter!" Targos shouted.

"She died fighting!" Nialian shouted back, his wizened face twisted in anger.

Drizzt's heart pounded in his chest as his blood ran cold.

"Catti?" he gasped.

"Shh," Nialian said, leaning over Drizzt and putting a hand to his forehead. "Do not stress yourself further. Just rest."

Drizzt's breath came ragged and sharp as a scream went through his brain. He looked around, seeing the human mob lead by Targos on one end, Entreri and Jarlaxle standing in the brush readying their weapons and glaring at the mob, and the drow, who had now fallen to his knees as he stared at the still-crying creature on the ground.

His eyes trailed to the side of the mass, seeing a humanoid shape in the trees far apart from the mess in front of him. The first thing he saw was a mass of auburn hair, then a pair of blue eyes shone through the darkness as her cheek pressed against the leaves.

Drizzt's breath was now only gasps; Catti-brie's mouth was relaxed, her face stained by a mass of blood that surrounded her severed head. Her torso was a foot away, clothing torn in a mass of blood, her intestines glistening in a river of blood that poured away from her.

A green, webbed foot splashed through the blood. Drizzt's eyes trailed up the green scales, huge tail, and large claws of the creature; spattered in Catti's blood as its toothy maw hissed at him in a cry that sounded like a baby's laugh. Its yellow eyes glowed through the dark, though faded to purple.

The creature morphed from a hideous, scaled creature to a young man with green hair and a handsome face. A moment later, Drizzt was looking at his own face; his tongue lapping the blood from his chin and around the large, angry scar on the right side of his cheek. His mouth turned up in a wicked smirk as a black mask framed his face.

-------------

"No!" Drizzt screamed, bolting upright in the dark room as a wave of pain came over him.

He crashed back on the soft mattress with a groan as he put a hand to his torso, feeling a cloth bandage wrapped around his waist.

"Drizzt," Catti-brie gasped, gently grabbing his shoulders; her auburn hair dangling over him as her face was inches from his.

He reached up, clasping her cheeks as he pulled her in for a passionate, grateful kiss; his breath calming as a few tears poured from his eyes.

"Drizzt are you all right," Catti-brie asked, concern in her voice.

Drizzt took a deep breath, the pain in his abdomen subsiding as his skin recovered from the sudden jar to his fresh stitches. He looked up, savoring the sight of the green canvas of the healing tent. Elves still sang and talked merrily outside despite most of the Midsummer festivities being done for the evening.

He was still in Moonwood, he was still in Nialian's tent, he was still recovering from his appendectomy, there were no creatures, Jarlaxle and his companion were safely in Cormyr hunting for treasure, Catti-brie was still alive; all was right with the universe.

"Just a bad dream," he said, caressing the side of Catti-brie's face with a smile.


	2. Part 2

**In Dreams**

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of R.A. Salvatore/Wizards of the Coast ©. I don't own them; I'm just examining all their possibilities.

**Part 2**

A stream of light passed through Drizzt's slowly opening lids as his senses gradually registered the soft bed underneath him as well as the small burn in his lower abdomen.

He blinked his eyes a few times, his vision focusing on the green canvas if a tent and the sound of music and laughing in the distance. Drizzt slowly picked his head off a soft pillow and looked around, taking in his surroundings.

He was in a green tent in the middle of a village somewhere, though he last recalled being inside a wooden room surrounded by tapestries. Drizzt looked down at his cold form to see he was bare to the waist save for a white bandage neatly wrapped around his torso; a familiar sight from the last time he remembered.

Out of curiosity for his situation, he slowly lifted the edge of the bandage and peered underneath, seeing swollen skin and a line of stitches on the side of his abdomen running from the bottom of his pelvis to his navel.

His appendix was gone, he suddenly recalled; only his appendix and nothing else, though for some reason he recalled undergoing an operation that was a bit messier.

Drizzt breathed a sigh of relief and allowed himself to lay back on the soft feather mattress, pulling the covers over his exposed form with a smile.

"I have been tolerant of your ilk long enough to save your companion's life," a voice said from outside the tent. "As soon as the sun rises, I want you both out of this village and away from these peaceful people."

"So typical of a priest," another voice said, a harsh voice that delivered his words with a perpetual growl. "You show your goodness long enough to look righteous before you push us undesirables out of your goodly sight."

Drizzt focused on the voices and felt his skin crawl; the other man was Artemis Entreri. He slowly came to a sit, the stitches tightening in a dull burn before the skin adapted to the new position. The pain was worth it as he located his weapon belt against the canvas by his cot and stretched enough to clasp it and pull it toward him despite the pain.

He pulled the swords close to his cot, though lay back with his fingers within a moment's reach of the swords. If Entreri was here to finish him, Drizzt would have his fight even if he was not at his physical prime.

"I would say your words are pointless," the first man said.

"Though you already know that," Entreri replied coolly, "now I have a rather important message for my companion. Is he well enough to take visitors."

"He could do to be without the strain, though I am sure he has caused enough to others, as have you," the other man said. "I suppose it would do no actual harm."

Drizzt rolled his eyes; having a feeling he was the subject of the conversation. He kept his hand off his belt, though close enough to reach in a moment as he heard the two men slide back a tarp and enter the tent.

Entreri indeed was there, his cold black eyes making Drizzt cringe, though he focused more on the elder moon elf walking in front; bearing blue robes and a silver charm carved with Corellon Larethian's moon. For one moment he was relieved, yet for some reason the sight of this emblem was almost disconcerting.

"I see the potion wore off," the elf, a wizened looking man with long silver hair. "The operation was a success. I removed your appendix with minimal issue, though I will say you need to watch how much you drink on a night like this. The alcohol in your system had a not so pleasant reaction with the sleeping potion and you stopped breathing for a moment."

"But I'm here now," Drizzt replied, a bit unhappy with this one's tone. It was like he could care less if he lived or died.

"A few artificial respirations and a potion did the trick," the elf said with a stiff smile. "I will allow you and your companion to remain here until sunrise, and then you should be well enough to remove yourselves from these lands and return to your people."

"You are too kind," Drizzt replied with more venom than he had anticipated.

"If you're done, priest, I would like a private word with my companion," Entreri said.

The priest nodded before turning and walking out. Drizzt stared at Entreri, though the assassin's own gaze was a bit more relaxed, almost casual though still grave.

"You will be well enough to travel, I hope," Entreri said.

"I hope Jarlaxle's healing orb is still functional, or else the journey will be rather unpleasant," Drizzt replied, wondering how he even knew what equipment Jarlaxle had.

Entreri grimaced and sighed hard.

"Jarlaxle has turned on us," Entreri said.

"What," Drizzt replied incredulously, having no idea why he cared. "What the Hells happened, Artemis."

"He ran to the elves, speaking of his own redemption," Entreri spat out, "though he had other reasons having nothing to do with his absolution. He played you for the fool, Do'Urden. You're not going to like what I have to say."

"Then say it," Drizzt said, the heat rising in his chest.

"He and Catti-brie have run off together," Entreri said.

Drizzt's heart fell, not believing what he was hearing. Blood roared in his ears as sadness and rage slowly crept over him.

"Don't act like this is a surprise," Entreri said. "You knew he bedded her, you know she ripped her clothes off and threw herself on him."

"Shut the fuck up," Drizzt yelled, putting a hand on his head and letting the words sink in.

It was an image he could not bear; his Catti-brie wrapped in the arms of another man…of Jarlaxle of all people. The thought was horrifying.

In a moment, he grabbed his weapon belt and leapt out of bed, ripping his scimitars from his scabbards as he sprinted from the tent in only a pair of soft, cotton trousers; the pain in his abdomen now non-existent.

All he heard was the rush of blood through his ears and felt the cold steele of Twinkle and Icingdeath…or was that WraithKiss and Icingdeath, his mind could not decipher which. Regardless, they would taste drow blood before the night was over.

He came to the door and shoved the panel aside, pushing through a crowd of elves in similar blue robes. All were gathered in one thick circle around a central point. Drizzt did not care why they were there or who they were; they were in the way of his mission.

At last he parted through the crowd, seeing green patch of grass spattered with blood. Drizzt froze in his tracks, his frenzied mind trying to absorb all he was witnessing.

Jarlaxle sat in the middle of the circle; grand hat and cape gone as he only wore a white tunic and a pair of black trousers. His bald head was bowed and shaking, though Drizzt saw a steady stream of tears running down his normally smug face.

In his arms was Catti-brie; Jarlaxle's arms cradling her body while holding her blood-soaked head on her neck.

A creeping chill came over Drizzt's body as he stared at his Catti-brie; eyes closed and lips still as Jarlaxle kissed them through his tears. She wore a beautiful brown tunic that was tight around her ample bosom, though her beautiful form was covered in blood.

The screaming chill overcame Drizzt's form. His knees buckled though he kept his footing despite the wave of sick.

"I hope you're not going to let this go unpunished, Do'Urden," Entreri said as he stood a food from Drizzt.

Drizzt managed to pry his eyes off Catti-brie and meet the cold gaze of the assassin; an almost welcoming look that explained his soul.

Drizzt looked again at Jarlaxle, feeling the rage well within him once again; this man took his Catti-brie. This man deserved to die horribly.

Jarlaxle managed to look up with a pleading gaze before his head fell from his body. Drizzt looked down at his bloody scimitar, his thirst for blood rising as he eyed the group of stoic elves and ran forward.

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The shrill wail of an infant pierced through Drizzt's Reverie. He gave a gasp while leaping to his feet before his senses truly returned to him.

He stumbled over his feet, his weak legs still orienting themselves to wakefulness after being inactive during his two days of unconsciousness. Drizzt braced himself against the mattress with his arms, swiftly waking and coming more to his senses.

Drizzt looked around the room, his infrared vision seeing the outlines of tapestries on the walls, the blue cool of a water pitcher on a table by his bed, and the red warmth of the tiny water genasi in the bassinette beside his bed.

He was awake in the temple of Mielikki in Waterdeep. It was just a dream.

He gave a small laugh, the baby's little wails music to his ears as he climbed back on the bed; slowly reaching in the bassinette and scooping his son into his arms. Drizzt put the babe on his shoulder, lightly patting his back as producing a little burp and a happy laugh.

"Now isn't that better?" Drizzt cooed to his son.

"Is he okay," a voice said from the door, a voice that mad Drizzt want to weep with joy.

"He's fine, Catti," Drizzt said with a smile. "A little colicky, but we fixed that."

Drizzt stroked his son's green hair, feeling a little hand poke his pointed ear with a laugh. Catti-brie sat on the bed beside Drizzt, rubbing the baby's back.

Drizzt smiled, knowing reality was sweeter than dreams at that moment in time.


	3. Part 3

**In Dreams**

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of R.A. Salvatore/Wizards of the Coast ©. I don't own them; I'm just examining all their possibilities.

**Part 3**

The path was clear through the woods, as was the loud shrieks and cries that assaulted Drizzt's ears the moment his feet hit the ground.

Drizzt ran, pumping his legs as hard as he could over the knots and brambles that lay underneath him on the dirt path. He pushed aside low hanging branches that seemed to swing at him on purpose, yet his swords were in his hands as he ran through the hazy wood toward the screams in the distance. He hacked the knotted branches down as he ran as fast as his aching legs could manage, though time moved slowly.

He approached a grove of trees where the screams were louder; a man and a woman crying out in passion as their bodies rustled the leaves. Drizzt feared what he would see, yet knew he had to have his answer…whatever that was.

He turned a corner, the screams melting into happy laughs while he stared at both of them; stomach sinking and the sadness welling up in his being.

"Drizzt," Catti-brie laughed, her beautiful blue eyes looking playfully up at him before a pair of ebony arms grabbed her naked shoulders and pulled them into his grasp.

"Well met, abbil," Jarlaxle said merrily, pulling Catti-brie into a deep, wet kiss. He groped every inch of her bare form, the feather on his grand, purple hat bobbed merrily as he pulled Catti-brie on the ground with him, her hands caressing his bare chest.

"Catti, how could you," Drizzt said, his voice almost a whine, hot tears streaming down his face. He felt his world crashing down; here was his beloved Catti-brie in the arms of another man…in the arms of Jarlaxle no less. Here they were straddling each other again.

Drizzt gave a sob, putting a hand to his bloated abdomen and rubbing it. Maybe the little life inside him would provide companionship.

"Catti think about your son," Drizzt sobbed, rubbing his belly. "I am about to deliver our little boy and you betray me like this."

"Drizzt, really, this is not what it looks like," Catti-brie said, kissing Jarlaxle deeply once again.

"Just think, abbil," Jarlaxle said, caressing Cattie-brie's shoulders. "I could be a wonderful uncle. Why don't you name the lad after me?"

"Then I would have to name him Heartless Fiend, and I won't do that," Drizzt said, sobbing harder and feeling the baby give a sharp kick.

He doubled over and braced his abdomen with his arms and fell to his knees, the pain intense.

"Drizzt what is it," Catti-brie said, pulling herself out of Jarlaxle's grasp though still letting him lick the side of her face. "Is it the baby?"

Drizzt gave a long groan, the pain intense as a creature thrashed violently inside him. He took a series of deep breaths, knowing what this meant.

He looked up again and saw the inside of a green tent while feeling a soft cushion under his back, assuming he was taken to a healer's tent and not even aware of it. The creature still thrashed inside him and gave out a hard grunt.

"Just do your breaths, Drizzt," Catti-brie said, standing beside Drizzt and clutching his hand though she was still naked.

"Just try to relax," said a wizened moon elf that appeared in front of him.

Drizzt's eyes fell on the silver half-moon pendant the elf wore around his neck; something inside his reasoning panicked for a moment. I'm a dead man, Drizzt thought, mentally trying to locate his swords as the priest of Corellon Larethian leaned over him.

The sudden appearance of a young drow with short white hair and wearing a comfortable familiar black mask made Drizzt feel more at ease, though the thrashing in his stomach only became worse. He gave a series of short breaths followed by one long one, his breathing making the pain diminish.

"That's it, Drizzt," Catti-brie said as Jarlaxle nuzzled her bare neck with his nose. "Our son will be born soon."

"Our son, you whore," Drizzt yelled. "You lay with…that, knowing you are about to be a father and he's still here biting your neck."

"I am here for moral support," Jarlaxle said, turning his head as Catti-brie kissed his neck.

Drizzt wanted to say something viler, though his words were cut off by a grunt of pain.

"Just keep breathing," the surface elf said, putting a hand on Drizzt's bare, bloated abdomen.

The drow priest, probably one of Mazn'reysla's new recruits, stepped in front of the elf with a scalpel poised in his hand. Drizzt wanted to scream, though the words were a choke in his throat as a blade scored down the length of his abdomen though only left an itching burn.

The moon elf nodded his head in approval as the drow, who wore a nervous expression, opened up the skin of Drizzt's abdominal cavity. Catti-brie and Jarlaxle continued kissing and fondling each other, though their eyes occasionally turned to the scene in front of them.

The screeching of a newborn baby made Drizzt numb. He looked down to see the priests slowly bring a bundle out of his stomach; the elf smiling whole the drow looked horrified.

"Meet your son," the elf said, lifting up a creature with the head of a large-mouth bass and the arms and legs of a drow infant.

The creature's jaw gaped open and it gave off a mass of wails; its normal-looking arms flailing as it's bulbous yellow eyes moved on the sides of its head.

"Oh he is so precious," Catti-brie said with a small sob, Jarlaxle still licking the side of her face as he looked forward.

"I'm an uncle now," Jarlaxle laughed while Catti-brie raked her fingernails over his bald head underneath his hat.

Drizzt stared at the mewling thing that was just cut from his body, a scream buried in his throat.

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Drizzt leapt to his feet with a scream, his vision shifting to the infrared spectrum as he looked around the dark room.

"Jarlaxle," he growled, clenching his fist. "He's a fucking dead man!"

Drizzt sprinted to the doorway, his bare feet meeting the rough hewn beams of the balcony of his tree house as his hands suddenly clasped the railing. The cold, night air stunned his senses and made him wake up sooner than he would have liked.

He took a few breaths, his racing heart calming. He put a cautious hand to his abdomen only felt bare skin and tight muscles and the waistband of his cotton sleep trousers.

Drizzt gave a relieved laugh, looking down and seeing a few drow rolling bones by a fire while others engaged in light sparring. He braced himself on the railing, letting his long, white hair hang over his face.

He wasn't pregnant, and Jarlaxle and Catti-brie weren't making out in corner. It was only a dream.

Catti-brie was dead after all.

Drizzt put his face in his hands and sighed, not knowing which reality was preferable. A pair of soft hands rubbing his shoulders soothed his senses.

"It was another dream," Mazn'reysla whispered in Drizzt's ear, his cheek rubbing against Drizzt's.

Drizzt gave a reluctant nod, turning and giving Maz a long, passionate kiss before pulling away and taking another breath of forest breeze.

"I gave birth to a fish," Drizzt said, a laugh escaping his throat.

He looked down and saw Artemis Entreri passing by the tree house and swore his mouth quirked up in a bemused grimace.

"You heard me," Drizzt called to his companion.

Entreri stopped and looked up with a calm glare.

"Then you are ready to meet your son," the assassin called up, holding a trout up from the line he caught it on.

Mazn'reysla gave a dirty snicker while Drizzt groaned.

"Don't you love me father," Entreri said in an exaggerated tone, moving the fish's jaws. He must have been in a good mood, or at least enjoyed seeing Drizzt squirm more.

"You're an ass," Drizzt said as the smirking human walked away.


End file.
